Why won't my child walk?!

What age did your kids start to walk?

My little'un is 14 months now – doesn't seem the least bit interested! She does 'cruise' though.

Girls often seem a little late in walking compared to boy and if she's cruising, she's not far off! I've heard of some not walking until they were 2ish.

Ours took a few steps just before he was one, fell over and headbutted a wooden chest, got scared but was back on form a few weeks later. He now (at 19 months old) runs around like a lunatic!

Describe "cruise" in more detail – does she "bum shuffle" around – in which case bum shufflers are often later to transfer to walking but when they do it is something of an overnight event.

If you feel that things are distinctly not right, not weight bearing, no attempts to etc, then off to see health professional for referral onto an appropriate service. Safe to assume all other developmental milestones been achieved properly?

Friends' kids took until nearer 2.

"Cruising" to me means standing and moving about while holding onto stuff.

It will happen – it can take a long time from learning to stand and balance etc before they have the nerve to go. It will just happen one day.

(Father to twins of 11 months, both standing and crossing arms over to grab things and cruise around, but not yet walking).

They're all different (and all bloody awkward!). My six year old never crawled, he used to kind of 'roll' – it was bizarre. My five year old used to shuffle on his bum, think he was about 18 – 19 months when he finally walked. They'll do it when they're ready, trouble is, we tend to compare our kids' progress / developmental milestones with other kids, and often end up worrying – my advice would be not to get too stressed about it, they'll get there in the end.

I never thought my son would walk – he was too lazy, and if he couldn't reach the thing he wanted he'd just play with whatever was nearer 🙂 Needless to say, when he was ready he took to it!

My Boy bum shuffled until he was 19 months, my girl was walking at 13 months (she crawled). I put it down to the wood flooring we had down when my boy was born, so it was easy to shuffle and the carpet we had down when my girl was born which is harder to shuffle on.

They'll do it when they're ready, trouble is, we tend to compare our kids' progress / developmental milestones with other kids, and often end up worrying – my advice would be not to get too stressed about it, they'll get there in the end.

About as "spot on" as you can get IMO.

Relax, she will walk when she wants to.

Sofatester +1

Thump was 16 months when he walked; Thud under 12. Exposure to toddlers is a big influence. Until then, enjoy the peace!

I'm 45 and still have to move round the house clutching onto the furniture for support and to make up for poor balance. This is usually after lots of alcohol.

I have similar problems ont he bike but don't seem to need alcohol to cause it 🙁

she'll be fine but if you're really worried talk to your health visitor/GP.

My niece went staight from crawling to walking. Wasnt in the least interested in the falling over and getting led by the hands bit.

14 months is fine nothing to worry about, they'll suddenly just do it. Encourage them by standing them in a space holding someone and get somebody else to beckon them over, just a few feet apart bit more than the adults arms length.

I didn't walk til I was 23 months apparently. My sister fetched and carried for me, and I thought this was ok so no need to change.

I went on to become one of the fittest strongest fastest kids in school, so it was never a developmental issue.

+1 for the 'in her own time' comments.

I went on to become one of the fittest strongest fastest kids in school

🙄

mine at about 18. most of her mates were 14-18 months too although you got the odd smartarse ahead of the curve. When grading your child i think you've also got to account for the tendency for other proud parents to embellish progress of their little ones.

16 or even 18 months is the NHS decreed average i think with a margin of 4 months either way. Therefore health visitor wont be interested until 18+4 months.

mine at about 18

wow, that is late!

Whats your little un's growth percentile like in their red book ?
If its tracking the average then nowt to worry about.

Our first was getting on for 18 months IIRC, second was was bit earlier but didnt crawl at all. Enjoy this while it lasts, although it is funny when they start. Both ours were at Nursery & probably took first steps there, but the staff are tactful enough not to tell you unless you ask as its a special moment.

for their first child most parents seem to get very hung up on this and is worn as a badge of honour if their child is walking early.

For the 2nd you don't give a sh%t and it happens when it happens, we all get there in the end.

Haha, one of my siblings learned to walk early on, then refused to do it anymore and enjoyed dragging themself round with their arms – a visiting health worker had a mild panic over the 3 year old that dragged their legs around until they stood up and walked out of the room lol.

Pfft – my brother and I didn't bother with anything other than the butt-shuffle for 2 years – as my mother reminds us regularly. Hasn't seemed to make any difference to either of us.

Any of yours do the "wounded soldier" half crawl half drag thing? Most amusing at the time!

I went on to become one of the fittest strongest fastest kids in school

I did! I cleaned up in sports days etc. Didn't last, mind, I evolved into a mediocre cyclist 🙂

Apparently, my wife refused to walk when she was little. The doctors were all concerned, but her mum just said 'no, she's just stubborn' 🙂

I guarantee that no one ever looks at someone in the street and says "wow that person there is really good at walking, I expect they started really early!"
Relax – they all do it eventually…

my brothers lad on his 1st birthday could pull him self up and try two or three steps , two weeks later theres no stopping him , the differene in two weeks amazing .

Oh if only mine was still sitting contentedly on the floor and not making a dash down the garden…or the alley way when ever my back is turned. Like the above says the speed they go from the shuffle to a full sprint is a matter of weeks…..and then your in trouble!

Jnr W2K is almost walking at 12 months. He'll go for a 2/3 foot gap but more than that and he'll drop and crawl. I love the "Wiley Coyote" moment when he's mid gap, realises he can't make it and just drops to the floor. 😀

My little lady is 9 months old and doesn't crawl or bum shuffle when you are watching but as soon as you turn your back she is into something over the other side of the room. I think she can teleport.

As has already been said enjoy it while it lasts. Once they're mobile it's game over and you can't take your eyes off em 🙂

I think she can teleport.

😆

Ours are at the sprinting crawls stage – every opportunity they get they are trying to get out of the door, open the oven, pull cables out of laptops etc. Spent last night putting latches on all the kitchen cupboard doors – that appeared to perplex Izzi this morning 🙂

My son started crawling 2 weeks ago (just over 8 months) and has started trying to stand up, one of his little friends has not even attempted (just over 12 months) Kids develop a different stages don't get hung up on it. I am dreading when he is walking!!!! He's bad enough crawling.

My only concerns are that my daughter is healthy and happy. Everything else she can do in her own time.

realises he can't make it and just drops to the floor

Bail!

It's quite fun watching her eye up certain situations, exactly the same as I would on a bike.. "Hmm, that looks tricky.. it's a bit exposed and the run out isn't great…"

We are too lazy to put latches on the doors.. we've been training her instead and removing breakables and unsafe things from the bottom cupboards…

Cheers guys – reassured me all is well. Everything is fine in the little red book, so no concerns there.

She flies around on her hands and knees (indeed emptying everything – she is currently obsessed with water bottles and pretends to take a drink then goes 'aaahhh!' – nuts).

He other trick is to walk on her knees with hands on her hips – right little madam!

Sounds perfectly normal 🙂

Our kid's first game was to pretend to talk on the phone – something we taught her as she was always playing with phones. Well for a while she was pretending to talk on TV remotes and anything remotely phone shaped, then it was ANY object. Dolls, toys, anything. Then, because we'd been pretending to pass the phone to her mid conversation, she'd come over and clamp her doll etc to YOUR ear then you'd have to have an imaginary phone conversation into a doll's arse 🙂

because she's shit? bin her off and get a new one i say.

We are too lazy to put latches on the doors.. we've been training her instead and removing breakables and unsafe things from the bottom cupboards…

For us, the latches are because the kitchen is tile floored and they use the shaker-style handles to pull themselves up, the doors swing open and they get flung back. I have caught them a couple of times just before they have brained themselves and I shudder to think how much it would hurt. (I am happy for them to fall on our wood floors and carpets, I just think that tile laid onto a concrete base is a bit on the hard side).

Our 2nd was over 2 years old before she started taking her first steps, I was a late walker too aparently.

Or 1st started at 14 months, so you can imagine how worried we were getting 😉

We learnt a big lesson after that, stop comparing and enjoy.

They are all different and do things at different times.